For the past 18 months, Americans have listened to now-President Donald Trump campaign and speak to citizens all over the country. Throughout many of his speeches and addresses, Trump often spoke of promises he made to the American people (in true candidate form) and the plans he had for the United States. Because he was so intent on creating solid promises, President Trump frequently started his sentences with the phrase, "I will." Why is this so important?
Although it is only five letters, it has a big and impactful meaning. When a person uses "I will..." instead of "I want to..." or "I should..." it changes the level of fulfillment formed. Saying that you should do something makes you self-aware, but fails to hold you to your commitments. Saying that you want to do something means that, sure, you'd like to make it happen--but it might not. When you say that you will do something, you have high motivation to complete it and imply its inevitable success. Donald Trump uses "I will" to make Americans look towards the success of the end goal, to ignite hope and confidence.
However, he is not the first leader to do so; our God makes promises to us to instill hope and joy in us as long as we live for Him in all we do. Throughout the Bible, that same phrase appears many times for many different promises. As our country progresses, there are some important "I will" moments that we need to remember and reflect upon.
In John 14:18, Jesus says, "I will not leave you comfortless. I will come to you." In this verse, our key phrase is found twice, emphasizing its meaning. The great unrest and protest in this country have left so many people worried or uneasy, but our God won't let us be left that way. He will always be with us, Jesus will always be our Savior. If God is always there, what have we to be scared of in our earthly lives?
Matthew 11:28 tells us that if we are to follow and love Him, He will give us peace, saying "Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest." We are busy people. We are stressed. We struggle with the uncertainties of life daily, and sometimes it seems as if it is too heavy a burden to bear. But, through God, we find our rest. If we give our lives to God and love Him wholeheartedly, He will calm the troubled soul within us. So many people need to hear this message, especially with the typical busy schedules that so many lead.
God promises this incredible love to us, but we also need to commit to Him. We need to have an unquenchable thirst for the Holy Spirit, as in Psalm 63. The third and fourth verses of Psalm 63 say, "Because your loving-kindness is better than life, my lips will praise You. So I will bless You as long as I live; I will lift up my hands in Your name." We have to do more than just promise this--we must execute it. God's love and His promise of eternal life are so great that He should always be praised, no matter where life takes us or what our situation looks like.
As you listen to the remarks and promises of the new Commander-in-chief, pause and remember the promises of God; no matter what occurs, always keep those promises in your heart. "Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord, the people whom He had chosen for his own inheritance." Psalms 33:12
